Thesaurus results for PONTIFICATE

pontificate

verb

as in to rant

disapproving to speak or express your opinion about something in a way that shows that you think you are always right We had to listen to her pontificate about the best way to raise children.

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of pontificate From a purple-pod terminalia tree a crimson-breasted shrike pontificated at us. —

AFAR Media, 30 Oct. 2025 In the 1960s, Canadians hungered for public intellectuals pontificating on the distinctiveness of their identity. —

Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025 This is the mark of a visionary—not waiting for consensus, but creating the future while others pontificate about it. —

Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025 Rather than the writer pontificating about how Pfleger needs to retire from active priesthood, how about a better use of his time by advocating the notion that pedophile priests should be retired to jail. —

Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pontificate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pontificate

Verb

She has also been criticized for not raising her voice on Selection Sundays, as if a conference commissioner could rant and rave more teams in the Field of 68.

— Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
Santat’s illustrations begin with straightforward, muted sincerity and become brighter, busier, and more gleeful—filling every corner of the page—as Sharpson’s narrator becomes ever more unhinged, ranting about fish spies, fish disguises, and fish taking over the world.

— Elise Broach, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026